1-25-2024 Fishing Report

Devils Lake Fishing Report:

It’s a busy time around the Devils Lake area these days. People are fishing away and this is the big DLVFD annual ice fishing tournament. Tournament starts at 1pm on Saturday and goes until 3:30. We are anticipating a great turnout with the predicted weather forecast, so probably smart to get there on time or even a bit early as there will be a lot of anglers looking to enjoy the afternoon! All details pertaining to the tournament can be found on their website at: https://www.dlvfdicefishingtourney.com/

Ice conditions on Devils Lake: The only constant in life is change. We have had an interesting winter as far as weather goes. Compared to other states we have been very fortunate to get some colder weather which has helped us to get good ice throughout the majority of the lake. The biggest obstacle this year is the fact that we have lots of cracks and pressure ridges throughout the lake. 90% of problems that occur while ice fishing are on or near these ridges. Ice can change very quickly with wind or warmer/colder temperatures. We strongly encourage people to NOT cross them. If you have to, you should drill them first and make sure you travel in a group rather than by yourself. Ropes and ice picks are also crucial to have in your Truck/UTV/Snobear. Travel during daylight and do not drive in the dark.

Overall, we have good ice. It’s just important to “stay on your toes” and look for cracks and ridges. Take your time and work in groups.

As for the bite…Kind of a repeat from last week's report. We are doing good most days; however, there are some days that have been slower. We have tried some newer areas and done well at times. Again, the Devils Lake basin is over 200,000 acres. Lots of places fish can be. Being persistent is probably the best tool you can have in your tackle box. With the nicer weather we are having, it’s easy to get outside and hole hop and really cover a lot of area.

Perch are scattered from the east end to the west end. We seem to get into larger schools in the deeper basins of the east or main bays. There are several age classes of perch in the system right now. The key is locating larger perch. Larger perch will often travel in age classes, so once you start catching keeper perch, you really want to hone in on that area (9-14 inch we consider larger perch).

As for the walleye: We have been doing quite well on them! We even had several very big walleyes caught! Most were released! A few are going on the wall! Catching a 30 inch walleye through a 6 inch hole is awesome! Our best bite for walleyes has been early mornings and late afternoons. We have worked on lots of different structures. Flooded timber, rock piles, roads, and points have all produced well. Some days they are on the edges and other days they are right in the structure. Buckshots with a minnow head are always good! We have also done well with a red hook and a minnow under a bobber.

Good luck to all! Stay safe, Be careful, Have fun!

Ed’s will be serving Chili this Saturday starting at noon until gone. Remember to stop in before the tournament for all your tackle, bait, gas, propane and on and off sale needs. After you catch the big one, come back to Ed’s and talk some fishing with everyone and have a refreshment or two!

Ed’s Bar and Bait Shop

1605 Hwy 20 South

Devils Lake, ND